TIME’s Paul Ryan beefcake photo shoot

Last year, back when Paul Ryan was being considered for the Person of the Year cover, TIME Magazine sat down with the Wisconsin politician for a photo shoot — but not just any photo shoot — a gloriously ridiculous P90X beefcake photo shoot.

In fact, it was Ryan’s fitness regime (and Herculean strength on all things fiscal) that inspired the workout-themed sitting for the Person of the Year; those portraits, photographed by Gregg Segal, appear in this week’s issue.